I might put different grips on my handguns, scope my rifles, etc, but mine are generally "out of the box stock" in regards to the basic action.

F'rinstance, by KP-90 Ruger wears a Hogue wraparound with the finger grooves, the Springer Champion has a Pearce grip that has the finger grooves, with very thin pieces that go under the stock 1911 panels.

Marlin Model 99 .22LR has a scope, because the previous owner filed down the front to practically flush with the barrel [maybe he thought he could shoot 300+ yards with the iron sights ? ? ]

Marlin 30A in .30-30 has a fixed power 4x32 scope, mainly beacuse my tri-focused 50+ year old eyes don't work so good with irons aymore.

The Maverick 88 (Mossberg) wears the 18-1/2" cylinder bored barrel, rather than the 28" modified choke that it had whne I bought it. This is my primary Homeland Security weapon.

But internally, all mine are 'box stock'.

__________________
Load your weapons and 'Stand Ready'. It will be a bumpy ride.

You know the argument is always use an unmodified weapon. I think that whether or not that rule applies depends a lot on your region. Any gun can be painted as evil, and any gun owner as reckless, it's just a matter of whether the jury will buy it. Where I am at, I've not seen a justified shooting go bad in court in either criminal or civil litigation. Modified guns have been used.

I keep HD shotguns that I cut down to 18.5 myself, and put on black synthetic stocks.
One of my carry guns is a modified Sistema. The only thing Sistema is the frame and slide.
Another is a modified Colt Officer's ACP.
I also carry a S&W M38 that is basically stock except for the grips.

In my carry guns I demand 100% reliability with the carry ammo. I required 100% reliability with carry ammo for 500 rounds before I would carry them. I shoot each one at least every other week. I am unsure of the round counts now. They have not failed..... yet. Even a gun that has shot reliably for thousands of rounds can fail. There is no way to prevent failure, but shooting the gun, cleaning and inspecting it, and using good ammo can get you as close as possible.

FWIW the majority of my other guns are reliable as well. I have a couple low grade guns that are not.

Well most guns stay the same aside from my 1911. My 1911 is modded highly. A bunch of aftermarket parts, spring,mag catch, mag, grip, trigger, sear, hammer, beavertail, rear spring, disconnector. And many more to come the trigger and springs were the best mods for the price. You would be surprised at how cheap the stuff is.

1911s get:
* Upgraded sights. Usually fixed, but better visibility.
* Beavertail/extended push grip safties. I get 'bit' real easy and I like the lump to de-engage the grip safety.
* Action job. Some word said over the trigger; not ultra light, but clean.
* Neat grips.
One Government Model I have has an ambidextrous safety. It was 'cool' in 1980 or so and I've just never changed it.

A three inch, round butt, dehorned, slick action Model 19 is about as fast a gun as can be used in the personal defense role. They sound like a mini-gun in operation and are very, very selective in target acquisition.

Modifications vary. My only pistol in use right now is a full-house USPSA Limited gun built on a Glock 35. It has an aftermarket barrel, adjustable fiber-optic sights, 2# trigger, magwell, upgraded springs, etc, etc. It is very reliable, although two of my extended magazines need new springs.

My rifles are all AR-15 platform guns. All of them have match triggers. All have heavy-duty extractor springs. Two have optical sights - an EOTech 552 on my defensive carbine, and an ACOG TA11F on my 3Gun rifle. My HD gun has a float-tube foreend and a LaRue light. All my working magazines have been modified for function. I think I've had one failure to feed with my carbine, probably 1500 rounds ago.

My shotguns - well, I have a lot of shotguns. One of my Franchis is pretty much stock save for an extended magazine. The other has an extended magazine, ghost rings, sidesaddle, and a stock cut down to fit me better. I've never had a failure of any kind with either Franchi. My skeet gun is a Remington 1100 LT-20 with a trigger/action job, custom-built stock, and barrel bored out to Skeet I. I can't remember ever having a malfunction with it with light loads, although it will choke on the heavy stuff.

- Chris

__________________
"There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him." – Robert Heinlein

"Contrary to popular belief, your vote does not matter, and you cannot make a difference." - Bob Murphy, "Picking Neither of Two Evils"

I have 3 CC guns which I alternate, depending on circumstances. I worked over the grips so each would pull with the same fit for POA/POI as the others. That meant I had to hand carve the grips for the DanWesson .357. It is worth it, though, because I pull the same grip each time and shoot to the same "point" spot, whichever piece is with me.

Pops

__________________Armed and Safe: Not just a theory

If it time to bury them, it is time to dig them up.
Remember, "Behind every blade of grass."

A very good gunsmith did the mods.
Cut the cylinder to 44 SP.
Put a 3 inch Doglas barrel on it.
Added a spring loaded ball to the tang making it a tripple lock.
Target trigger.
From a Ransom rest it will drive nails.
Was built in the late 70's

Pretty much the only mods on my HD guns are bolt-ons. Not because of any legal reasons, but just because that's all I want. Some grips on the 1911s, skateboard tape on the glocks, Surefires all around: X200, M962, Integrated Shotgun forends.

Well, let's see. the 870-P has a factory folding stock and extended magazine tube. I added a pistolgrip fore-stock, Scorpion tac light and laser sight. Great hallway gun!
The Mini-14 has the Ramline folding stock, Harris UL bipod, flash suppressor, and a big ol' Bushnell Banner varmit scope (which I found to be overkill on a Mini-14 )
All the handguns except for the Mk II and Walther have custom grips. Mostly Packmyers or Hogue. The Smith 645 has zebra wood custom (made to my hand) grips from Tuscon Custom Grips, which immediately brought my qualification scores up by 20%, and the top of the slide is blacked out to reduce glare. The 4" Smith 19 has custom rosewood grips by Art Jewel Enterprises.
No mods on the Win 94. It's circa 1930's and is absolutely mint. You can comb your hair from the finish on the receiver. They don't make 'em like that anymore. It has a distinguished place on the wall in my den.
The 10/22? I started off putting everything but the kitchen sink on it, and went back to the old original 10/22. Better not to tamper with something that's damned near perfect to begin with.

__________________TFL Members are ambassadors to the world for firearm owners. What kind of ambassador does yourpost make you?

I train in earnest, to do the things that I pray in earnest, I'll never have to do.

It depends entirely on the modification and the handgun that is modified. In most of the Pistol Courses I have taken, most of the heavily modified 1911s in attendance have failed repeatedly. While the 1911s that were relatively unmodified kept on ticking no matter what.

S&W 340 PD came from factory with an atrociously heavy DAO trigger, so that's the first thing I had fixed. It is now close to that of Kahr PM-9 as it came from the factory - long and smooth.

Added a Crimson Trace overmoulded laser grip to the 340. No regrets there either. Ordered the PM-9 with factory night sights, so it is carried "stock".

Current project on another probable "sometimes carry gun" is a Glock 29 (compact 10mm). I ordered an aftermarket Bar-Sto .40 barrel for it and am tonight to function test and chrono some Gold Dot 165 grainers. Also on my "to do" list is to order and try an A-Grip for the 29.

Some time soon when more time, I want to do some timed side-by-side testing next to some various full-power 10mm loads. Methinks that the results will indicate that, like .38+Ps vs. .357s in the 340, the .40s will probably result in a combination of slightly better accuaracy and appreciably better split times than with Double Tap 10mms. If so (and if 100% reliable), reason enough for me to possibly leave Bar-Sto barrel and .40s in the gun for general carry purposes in the concrete jungle.

All my handguns and long guns suitable for HD have been modified to some extent. Some combination of sights, updated/upgraded parts/grips/springs/action work/tactical lights/etc.

Nothing I have done makes them unsafe. Any cost will seem minimal next to my legal fees if I need to use one. Assuming I'm in the right, I'll venture a civil suit, even when won, will kill most assets I currently possess.

The $1000 or so spent on the shotgun or handgun will seem cheap if the family is OK at the end of the incident.

I'm not big on mods. I put better sights & grips on the Colt and a reliability package which consisted of lower the port, extended ejector, polish the feed ramp.

Other guns get next to nothing. Nite sights for the RH & Glock, rubber grips for the RH.

The 870 is the most modded gun I have and its just basically more ammo hangers front & rear and a big safety so I can nudge ut with the side of my trigger finger to release, not like I use the safety much anyway. Oh and a black chrome refinish just cause it was cheap and made the 18" police barrel match.

Trijicons on HD and CC pistols, Surefire X200 on the HD pistol, Sidesaddle on the HD shotgun.

Edit: The shotgun already had ghost ring sights from the factory.

__________________
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!” - Samuel Adams

I modify almost every gun I buy. I think the only two I carry for SD are a Browning HP .40S&W, and a CZ 75D PCR.
I add tritium sight inserts, grips, change revolvers to DAO, open up ejector ports on 1911's........................
Shotguns get extended magazines, sights, different barrels..................
Rifles stay fairly stock, except for better triggers, and a good tune up.

__________________
Nemo Me Impune Lacesset

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

This email link is to reach site administrators for assistance, if you cannot access TFL via other means. If you are a TFL member and can access TFL, please do not use this link; instead, use the forums (like Questions, Suggestions, and Tech Support) or PM an appropriate mod or admin.

If you are experiencing difficulties posting in the Buy/Sell/Trade subforums of TFL, please read the "sticky" announcement threads at the top of the applicable subforum. If you still feel you are qualified to post in those subforums, please contact "Shane Tuttle" (the mod for that portion of TFL) via Private Message for assistance.

This email contact address is not an "Ask the Firearms Expert" service. Such emails will be ignored. If you have a firearm related question, please register and post it on the forums.